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beccajdb's review
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It’s hard to believe this book was written nearly a century ago. The ideas are so relevant to today (and it’s rather dispiriting that 100 years ago, Huxley was struggling with many of the same issues we have today). Only now things are worse. Some ideas set the scene for Huxley’s Doors of Perception, which was fascinating to spot. I was also in awe of his amazing Intellect, polymath-like understanding of so many fields - from Greek mythology to psychology. Having made it sound a hard slog, it’s actually an engrossing, often funny (excoriating) book.
megecko's review against another edition
Really dated in its discussions of race and gender, and its standards for domestic violence were uncomfortable.
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Sexism, Racism, and Child abuse
kathrynnnnnn's review against another edition
3.0
This will take some digesting and a second read.
I don't really know what this book is about. It is about everything and nothing at the same time. It is about good and bad, the meaning of life, and assorted debates people have with themselves about living a "good" life. (Is it?) My confusion comes as the narrative is hard to follow. I thought I knew what was going on with the longevity studies, then Virginia seemed to come from nowhere and what is Jeremy even doing? He was the first character and I don't know where he fits anymore... Yeah there are some great one liners and it dose prompt the reader to ask questions of their own life choices, so good job Huxley. But as a cohesive whole I do not see it. Yet.
Well I finished. The end picked up momentum and finished with a bang (literally). I enjoyed reading it just because of the beautiful language and writing style really.
I don't really know what this book is about. It is about everything and nothing at the same time. It is about good and bad, the meaning of life, and assorted debates people have with themselves about living a "good" life. (Is it?) My confusion comes as the narrative is hard to follow. I thought I knew what was going on with the longevity studies, then Virginia seemed to come from nowhere and what is Jeremy even doing? He was the first character and I don't know where he fits anymore... Yeah there are some great one liners and it dose prompt the reader to ask questions of their own life choices, so good job Huxley. But as a cohesive whole I do not see it. Yet.
Well I finished. The end picked up momentum and finished with a bang (literally). I enjoyed reading it just because of the beautiful language and writing style really.
tyrfishy's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Attempted another Huxley and regretted it. Easier to read than the other but ended up skimming much of the speeches that ruminate over the same topics. The blurb of the book didn't really summarise it well and I went in expecting a different story. Surprised I managed to finish it, and find myself wishing another author had taken the concept and made a much cleaner story of it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
insa's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
torturedfiber's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
thedudavocado's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
emanuele_zanellato's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
ashleylm's review against another edition
2.0
I found myself reading this and Mythago Wood at the same time, and though the plots aren't remotely similar, the experience of reading them is, so I'm going to give them the same review, essentially. I decided to read both these books because they'd been recommended in one of those books where someone recommends other books (which are so often more fun to read than the books they suggest reading). They both feel like the product of the early 1940s (though neither of them is, thought the Huxley novel is close enough that that makes sense). They're both slow, ponderous, pontificating, sexist, and dull. I didn't like either. I stopped reading the Huxley after 1/3 of the way through, and Mythago Wood had me limping along till about 60% when I skimmed the rest and felt vindicated.
But, at least I tried, and I know. I will no longer fear that this book will be my all-time favourite if only I'd read it, because I made the attempt and it isn't, done. On to the next.
But what a shame to have this one-two punch. Funnily enough, the next book I tried was Fritz Leiber's Our Lady of Darkness which also has an old-ish feeling to it, lots of pontificating (and quoting others pontificating, worse), and yet so far it's a delight (I'm 70% in). So it's not what you do, it's how you do it.
(Note: I'm a writer myself, so suffer pangs of guilt every time I offer less than five stars. These aren't ratings of quality, just my subjective account of how much I liked them: 5* = one of my all-time favourites, 4* = enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = disappointing, and 1* = hated it.)
But, at least I tried, and I know. I will no longer fear that this book will be my all-time favourite if only I'd read it, because I made the attempt and it isn't, done. On to the next.
But what a shame to have this one-two punch. Funnily enough, the next book I tried was Fritz Leiber's Our Lady of Darkness which also has an old-ish feeling to it, lots of pontificating (and quoting others pontificating, worse), and yet so far it's a delight (I'm 70% in). So it's not what you do, it's how you do it.
(Note: I'm a writer myself, so suffer pangs of guilt every time I offer less than five stars. These aren't ratings of quality, just my subjective account of how much I liked them: 5* = one of my all-time favourites, 4* = enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = disappointing, and 1* = hated it.)
dzengota's review against another edition
2.0
Huxley typical style is still found here but it is the first of his books that I've read that feels like it loses its own point half way through. All of this books seem to have the 1/3-1/2 of the way through massive intellectual discussion but they are always gratifying in their relevance to the plot and themes at hand. The long academic discussions and readings in "After Many a Summer" feels coherent but useless.